Snakebreath’s Promise
* This story is in the forest territories Allegiances RIVERCLAN Leader: Coralstar + smoke tuxedo tom Deputy: Curlleap + curly cream she-cat Medicine cat: Sunblaze + red point she-cat Warriors: Fallowthorn + brown tabby tom Waterydream + blue-grey She-cat Flowerface + grey tom with pink and amber eyes Greatbird + ginger she-cat with blue eyes Heronsong + light brown tom with green eyes Lilypad + white she-cat with a rose tucked behind her ear Smoghaze + grey tom with a berry pink nose Rainsong + silver she-cat with hazel eyes Rabbitfrost + brown and white tom Shallowsky + tortie with blue eyes Littleblaze + small white tom with a ginger tail Blueleaf + blue-grey She-cat with amber eyes Featherdapple + white She-cat with black stripes Apprentices: Minnowpaw + cream tabby Fogpaw + silver tom Lakepaw + blue-grey non-binary cat Dappledpaw + tortie She-cat with amber eyes Lionpaw + brown tom with green eyes Queens: Stormdapple + silver she-cat with brown speckles (Mother to Littleblaze’s kits: Burnetkit (ginger and brown she-kit) Finkit (silver nonbinary cat with ginger speckles) and Snakekit (ginger tom with a white tail that’s speckled with brown spots)) Softfur + siamese She-cat (expecting Rabbitfrost’s kits) Elders: Whispersky + silver tom with blind light blue eyes SHADOWCLAN Leader: Sparrowstar + blue seal point she-cat with blue eyes Deputy: Floptail + tuxedo tabby tom with blue-grey eyes Medicine cat: Springday + pale ginger she-cat with green eyes Warriors: Dewstorm + silver tom with blue eyes Rainweb + cream she-cat with blue eyes Stormysky + silver tom Drainedpuddle + blue-grey She-cat Apprentices: Shardpaw + silver she-cat with white splotches Amberpaw + orange tom Queens: Pinebreeze + light brown tom (mother to Stormysky’s kits: Rosekit (black and ginger she-cat with rose-smelling breath) and Raspberrypaw (brown tabby she-kit with pink eyes)) WINDCLAN Leader: Tortoise + tortoise-shell She-cat with hazel eyes Deputy: Sproutbreeze + white she-cat with green eyes Medicine cat: Rosebreeze + light brown tom Warriors: Fernbreeze + silver she-cat with blue eyes Harebreeze + ginger tom Dingobreeze + Black She-cat with yellow eyes THUNDERCLAN Leader: Chalcedonystar + blue-grey She-cat with green eyes Deputy: Heartnose + brown tom with a heart-shaped nose Medicine cat: Windystorm + silver tom with blue eyes Warriors: Lionfeather + Black she-cat with amber eyes Smokestream + grey she-cat with blue eyes Windyfur + grey she-cat with blue eyes Featherfang + white she-cat with yellow eyes Adderstrike + ginger tom CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS Hazel + light blue-grey she-cat with hazel eye Prince + brown tom with green eyes Foggy + non-binary silver cat with blue eyes Prologue The clearing bathed in silver moonlight as a cat moved across it. A ShadowClan cat, in fact, who was headed straight for RiverClan territory. Springday halted in front of the border, spotting a herb. She padded toward it, nibbling at the stems until they fell. She gathered them in her mouth and turned, only to be greeted with two starry shapes. “Dapplestream?” Dapplestream moved forward, and thrusted her face toward Springday so her whiskers brushed Springday’s face. “Something terrible is coming for a kit. Lies and burdens he must carry.” She mewed. Dapplestream moved her face away and glanced at the silver tabby with her. Featherpond was turned away from her. “Featherpond? Have something to say?” Dapplestream prompted. Featherpond whirled around. “Yes, I do. I thought that we would speak to RiverClan, not this pathetic ShadowClan cat who calls herself a medicine cat.” He snarled, fur rising. “You know just as well as I do that this affects both our clans.” Dapplestream mewed calmly. “It even affects your daughter.” Featherpond was starting to look more like a bristling holly bush now. “Leave Stormdapple out of this!” Chapter 1 The sunlight was warm as Snakekit crept out of the nursery. Burnetkit and Finkit were already enjoying the day, tackling eachother. Snakekit shifted uncomfortably but moved forward, placing his paws on the warm ground. Burnetkit flung Finkit off herself and bolted toward Snakekit, sinking her teeth in his ear and beginning to drag him the the apprentice den. “Ow ow ow!” Snakekit screeched, batting his sister away. “Oh, come on! Dappledpaw is gonna teach us how to fight!” Burnetkit complained. “I can go on my own.” Snakekit mewed. Burnetkit shrugged and signaled to Finkit, who stretched and bounded toward them. The trio of kits bounded toward the apprentice den, just in time to see Dappledpaw emerge from her den. “You ready for training?” She mewed. “Of course not.” A voice sounded behind the kits. Dappledpaw froze, and the kits turned slowly to see Stormdapple. “Hello, Stormdapple.” Burnetkit muttered. “They can wait until their apprentices.” She hissed sharply, pawing her kits toward her. “Come on, your ceremony is today.” She murmured to them. Snakekit pricked his ears. He had forgotten. “May all cat’s old enough to catch their own prey gather around Highrock!” Chapter 2 Burnetkit bolted out of her mother’s grasp and raced toward Highrock. Snakekit and Finkit tried to follow, but Stormdapple snatched them back, quickly smothering them with licks and then ushering them toward Highrock. Burnetkit was craning her neck to see Coralstar on Highrock. Finkit and Snakekit settled on either side of her. “Snakekit, Finkit, and Burnetkit. You have all reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. Until you are warriors, you’ll be known as Snakepaw, Finpaw, and Burnetpaw.” Coralstar scanned the clearing, and his gaze rested on Smoghaze. “Burnetpaw, your mentor will be Fallowthorn. I hope Fallowthorn passes on all he knows to you. Sunblaze stepped forward from the crowd. “I think it is time for a apprentice. I would like to mentor Finpaw.” She announced. Coralstar blinked rapidly, multiple times, then nodded. “Very well.” He turned to Snakepaw. “Snakepaw, your mentor shall be Smoghaze, who I also hope will pass everything they know onto you. Now, Smoghaze, Fallowthorn, and Sunblaze. Come forth.” The three cats walked up. “Sunblaze, Smoghaze, and Fallowthorn, you are all ready to take on apprentices. You received excellent training from your mentors, who are now with StarClan. Featherpond, Dogtail, and Flamesage. You have all shown yourself to capable and adventurous, and you will be the mentors of Snakepaw, Burnetpaw, and Finpaw.” Coralstar looked at them, for a few seconds, then said “Good luck.” Chapter 3 Snakepaw glanced around warily. Grey pelts were surely easy to spot? He then turned and peered in the river, then dunked his paw in, catching something furry. “Come out.” He mewed, realeasing the furry creature and stepping backwards. Smoghaze cannonbolted out of the water and landed neatly in front of Snakepaw. “Tell me again why we’re playing hide and seek?” Snakepaw hissed. Smoghaze cuffed his ear micheviously. “Ah, didn’t I say?” He asked. “No.” Snakepaw mewed, suddenly wondering what the point of this game was. “In battle, ShadowClan enemies will hide and pounce and kill you. Hide and seek is a fun way to learn how to scout ahead for warriors, whether they be WindClan, ShadowClan, ThunderClan, loner, kittypet, rouge, or even twoleg.” Smoghaze explained. Snakepaw squinted, processing the information, then jumped up and smiled, jumping from one foot to the other. “We did that, so can we battle train now?” Smoghaze sighed. “Sure.” Chapter 4 Snakepaw panted, slowly paddling forward, toward camp. He pulled himself onto the island and lay there, sighing. Smoghaze shook his head. “Really, Snakepaw, we need to work on your stamina before you fight!” He mewed. “Most of my kithood was in the nursery playing moss ball. The rest was sneaking out of the nursery to play fight with Burnetpaw and Finpaw.” Snakepaw grumbled, rising to his paws. Smoghaze glanced at the sun, which was now sending rays of blood across the clearing. “Go fetch yourself some prey, and go eat with the other apprentices. You should get to know your new denmates.” Snakepaw felt a flutter in his chest. Now he was gonna be Dappledpaw’s denmate. Snakepaw stumbled to the fresh-kill pile, choosing a vole. He padded to the central area, where the apprentices were waiting, and settled himself between Burnetpaw and Finpaw. “How’s apprentice life?” Lakepaw asked, biting into their mouse. “Tiring.” Snakepaw mumbled, causing Dappledpaw to glance at at him sympathetically. “Story time!” Minnowpaw declared, triggering a “Nooooo,” from Lionpaw. Minnowpaw cleared his throat, closing his eyes, then opened them again and grinned. “I have the perfect one! Perfect for this occasion! The story of Tortoise!” He mewed, eyes glinting with triumph. Burnetpaw, who had been removing a burr she had picked up hunting, stopped to stare at Minnowpaw. “Isn’t Tortoise the leader of WindClan?” She asked. Minnowpaw nodded, diving into the story. “Once, there was a loner named Tortoise. She grew up with a nice family, but the family made the mistake of coming to RiverClan territory and all that. So...” Snakepaw didn’t listen to the rest. He had finished his vole and now he dragged himself to his new den, where three new empty nests lay. He chose the one closest to Dappledpaw’s nest and circled it, laying down and falling asleep. Chapter 5 Snakepaw yawned, flicking his tail lazily as he watched the clouds drift above. He was settled in front of the apprentice den. He watched Finpaw return with herbs, Softfur and Rabbitfrost making plans for their kits, and Dappledpaw padding toward him. Snakepaw bolted upward. Dappledpaw settled beside him. “Nice day, isn’t it?” She mewed. “It is.” Snakepaw agreed, giving his chest a few licks. “Well, Smoghaze wants to see you.” Dappledpaw meowed. Snakepaw rose to his paws, nodding, and padded to the medicine cat den, where Smoghaze sat with a worried look on his face. “Smoghaze?” Snakepaw mewed. Smoghaze looked up. “Oh, Snakepaw.” Snakepaw flicked his ears. “Is something bothering you?” Smoghaze, reluctantly, nodded. “It’s just, my sister. Softfur’s kits are coming so soon! What is something goes wrong?” Snakepaw only partly understood Smoghaze’s distress. He knew he would be worried if Burnetpaw had kits. “Well, maybe some training will ease of the worry?” Snakepaw decided to ask. Smoghaze nodded. “Come on, Snakepaw. I’m gonna teach you some hunting moves to show off to the apprentices at the gathering.” Snakepaw’s ears flicked up in surprise, but Smoghaze was already heading toward the entrance of camp. They stopped in front of the river. “Now, Snakepaw, I never taught you how to fish.” Smoghaze mewed, sitting down. Snakepaw did the same, leaning over the river. “No, not like that! You’re shadow will scare every fish in the lake away!” Smoghaze purred, pawing Snakepaw away. Snakepaw sat like Smoghaze, in a way he could see the lake but his shadow didn’t fall over it. Smoghaze nodded. “Good. Now,” Smoghaze’s paw flashed out quickly and hooked the fish, throwing it out of the water and onto land, then jumping on it and quickly killing it. Snakepaw’s eyes widened, and he stared at the river until he saw a shape flashing in the river. Like Smoghaze, he hooked the fish with his claw, but the fish dodged. “It’s okay. Look, there’s another.” Smoghaze mewed. Snakepaw looked at the river just in time to see a fish. He did the same, but this time he was more efficient, pinning the fish to the ground before he knew it. Smoghaze smiled. “You learn quickly.” He remarked, glancing at the sky. “Come on. It’s almost time for the gathering.” Chapter 7 Snakepaw crouched, flanked by Burnetpaw and Finpaw. Coralstar flicked his tail and darted forward, the patrol hard on his paws. The group consisted of Coralstar, Snakepaw, Burnetpaw, Finpaw, Curlleap, Sunblaze, Smoghaze, Heronsong, Rabbitfrost, Fallowthorn, and Rainsong. As Snakepaw padded into the clearing, his jaw dropped in amazement. Smoghaze padded up to him. “Go on, meet some cats. Just remember the truce.” He prompted. Snakepaw nodded and bounded forward, striding through the clumps of cats. He stopped at a group that consisted of two ShadowClan apprentices and Burnetpaw. “Come join us.” One of the apprentices mewed, nodding at a spot between him and Burnetpaw. Snakepaw settled down, flicking his ears back. One of the apprentices was staring at him. She caught his returning stare and switched her gaze to her paws. “I’m Raspberrypaw.” The apprentice muttered. “And that’s Amberpaw.” Burnetpaw flicked her tail at Snakepaw. “That’s my brother, Snakepaw.” Snakepaw observed Raspberrypaw. She had brown tabby fur, and pink eyes. A pale ginger she-cat, who has been walking by, stopped and looked at him. “Your Stormdapple’s kit, yes?” She asked. Snakepaw nodded nervously, and the cat narrowed her eyes. “I’m scared for you, kit.”